SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

bodhisattva

  • Zhang Cheng

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    There was a man surnamed Zhang in Henan Province whose ancestors were from Shandong. During the latter part of the Ming Dynasty, when Shandong was in wide-spread turmoil, his wife was captured and taken away by Manchu soldiers. After that, as Zhang often used to travel to Henan, he decided to settle down there.

  • Why Bajie refused to follow Venerable Crow Nest？

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    In Journey to the West, Venerable Crow’s Nest (Wuchao Chan Master) is a mysterious figure.

  • Why couldn’t Monkey King simply fly Tang Monk to Vulture Peak?

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    Many friends might have this question while watching Journey to the West, especially those who haven’t read the original novel but learned about the story through movies or TV shows.

  • The true crimes of Bajie in the Heaven

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    In Journey to the West, all pilgrims bear the weight of celestial crimes: the Golden Cicada’s negligence toward Buddhist law, the White Dragon Horse burning the Jade Emperor’s divine pearl, Sha Wujing shattering the crystal goblet, and Sun Wukong’s litany of offenses — extorting the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, tampering with the…

  • How powerful is Sun Wukong really?

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    Sun Wukong, the Monkey King in Journey to the West, possesses extraordinary strength and supernatural abilities. For example, he can carry mountains, move at meteoric speeds, and defeat even the mightiest warriors. In this post, we will talk about how strong the monkey is and unveil the power of the monkey king.

  • The dominant eye

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    Yunyan Tansheng (780–841) was a renowned Chan Buddhist master of the Tang Dynasty, known for his sharp wit and profound teachings. A disciple of Yaoshan Weiyan, he later became the teacher of Dongshan Liangjie, founder of the Caodong (Soto Zen) school. One of the most famous gongans (koans) associated with him is the dialogue…

  • Journey to the West – Episode 148 – Picture story

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    Seeing what the Monkey did to Bajie, Tripitaka became very angry and turned to scold Wukong.

  • Journey to the West – Episode 144 – Picture story

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    As he was sucked into the vase, Wukong discovered that it was far too small for his body. This prompted him to transform himself into a smaller form and sit quietly at the bottom.

  • Journey to the West – Episode 139 – Picture story

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    Leaping up through the sky, Sun Wukong soon arrived at Purple Cloud Mountain. It did not take him long to locate the Thousand Flower Cave.